Measuring spout



Dec. 29, 1959 H. s. CLOYD ETAL MEASURING SPOUT Filed Dec. 24, 1956 4 4 II I I! 0 /7 26 Law 25 J; 3 7 i i 7 9 Am 6 8 INVENTORS FIG. 5 E521 United States Patent MEASURING SPOUT Harold S. Cloyd and Charles W. Knfner, Erie, Pa., as-

signors to Nosco Plastics, Incorporated, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 24, E56, Serial No. 630,350

3 Claims. (Cl. 222365) This invention is a measuring spout for cans and like liquid containers which is adapted to automatic filling machines because the measuring plunger is assembled into .the pouring spout after the container is filled. Both the pouring spout and the plunger can be molded of one of the flexible plastic elastomers such as polyethylene al though the pouring spout can be rigid.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a section through a can equipped with .a measuring spout; Fig. 2 is a section through the pouring spout; Fig. 3 is a side view of the plunger; Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3 Fig. 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a side view of a modification of the plunger; and Fig. 7 is a section through the valve stem on line 77 of Fig. 6.

The measuring spout is made in two pieces, a pouring spout 1 and a plunger 2 both of which may be molded from one of the flexible plastic elastomers such as polyethylene, although the pouring spout may be of any suitable material and need not be flexible.

When the pouring spout 1 is of molded plastic, as shown, .it may have an outwardly projecting flange 3 at its lower end which is fastened to the header 5 of a can 6 by a crimped portion 7. The spout will ordinarily be fastened in place by the can manufacturer and the crimped portion 7 is illustrated as a convenient means of rigidly fixing the pouring spout 1 to the can.

The plunger 2 has at its upper end a flexible pull tab 8 terminating in a rib 9 which serves as a handle by which the plunger may be pulled out of the pouring spout. In the closed position, the plunger has a stopper portion 10 which fits within the cylindrical upper end of the pouring spout and provides a closure. A flange 10a on the stopper portion limits the inward movement of the plunger. Depending from the stopper portion '10 of the plunger is a cross shaped stem section 11 which at its upper endiis of the same outside diameter as the stopper portion and at its lower end 12 is of lesser diameter and terminates in a valve member 13. The valve member 13 in the closed position of the plunger is spaced below the lower edge 14 of the pouring spout 1 and has on its under side a bevelled edge or surface 15 which tenninates short of the upper side 16 of the valve and merges into a thin flat wiping edge or projection 17 having an outside diameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of the bore 18 of the pouring spout. The wiping edge 17 which may, for ex ample, have a thickness of only three thousandths of an inch, yields sufliciently to make good sealing contact with the bore 18 and yet is suificiently resilient so that the friction between the wiping edge and the bore is kept to a low value. At the junction 19 between the bevel 15 and the wiping edge 17, the diameter is slightly greater (for example, 10-15 thousandths of an inch) than the inner diameter of a rib 20 integral with the pouring spout. The rib 20 has abrupt upper and lower shoulders 21 and 22 and is spaced substantially midway between the upper and lower ends of the pouring spout 1.

The plunger is assembled into the pouring spout after filling the can by pushing into the upper end of the pouring spout. As the valve moves down through the bore on the pouring spout, the bevel 15 contacts the upper shoulder 21 on the rib 20 and cams the outer periphery of the valve member 13 inward so that the valve readily slides past the rib 20 with only a slight resistance. However, upon an attempt to pull the plunger out of the pouring spout, the flat upper side 16 of the valve member 13 comes into contact with the lower shoulder 22 and offers a much greater resistance to removal of the plunger. The flat upper side 16 is an abrupt shoulder. While it is possible to pull the plunger out of the measuring spout, the resistance is so great that it cannot be done accidentally.

The measuring spout in use has two normal positions, a closed position and a dispensing position. In the closed position, the valve member 13 is spaced below the lower edge 14 of the pouring spout and the stopper portion 10 of the plunger tightly fits within the upper end of the pouring spout, thereby providing a liquid tight seal for the outer end of the pouring spout. When the container is inverted, liquid will flow into and fill the interior of the pouring spout. This charges the pouring spout with the measured quantity of liquid which is dispensed by pulling the plunger out of the pouring spout a distance suflicient to move the stopper 10 out of the spout. It will be noted that the space between the valve member 13 and the lower edge 14 of the pouring spout in the closed position is less than the axial length of the stopper 10 so that the valve member 13 moves into and seals the lower end of the bore of the pouring spout before the stopper 10 moves out of the upper end of the bore of the spout. Since the bore of the pouring spout is of constant diameter, no liquid pressures are built up as the valve member 13 moves into the lower end of the bore of the pouring spout. In order to facilitate the entrance of the valve member 13 into the bore of the pouring spout, the lower edge 14 is provided with a bevel 23 which while convenient is not essential.

' The dispensing of the measured charge of liquid starts as soon as the stopper portion 10 leaves the upper end of the pouring spout. In order to secure the most rapid dispensing, the plunger is normally moved to its uppermost position where the upper side 16 of the valve member 13 butts against the lower shoulder 22 on the rib 20. This uncovers the maximum opening and permits the quickest dispensing of the liquid.

. While the plunger cannot be accidentally removed by a straight pull, tilting or canting of the valve member 13 makes it easier to remove and opens up the possibility of accidental removal. The flexibility of the pull tab 8 and of the stem 11, 12 both tends to decrease the possibility of canting of the valve. However, to prevent any canting of the valve, the section 11 of the stem is made long enough to remain within the bore of the pouring spout 1 in the uppermost position of the plunger and to positively prevent tilting of the valve member 13 relative to the shoulder 22 on the rib 20 which would decrease the resistance to removal of the plunger from the pouring spout. This reduces to a minimum the possibility of accidental removal of the plunger.

If more than one measured charge or" liquid is to be dispensed, the plunger is again moved to its innermost position with the container inverted and then moved to its outermost position so as to dispense the succeeding measured charge.

The plunger can be positively held in the sealed position for shipping by the usual Celluloid cap which is shrunk over the upper end of the pouring spout. The pull tab or handle 8 readily flattens down against the outer surface so it is out of the way and does not interfere with the stacking of the containers in shipping cartons. Upon removal of the Celluloid seal, the handle 8 quickly springs to its upright position by the inherent resilience of. the material. To securely hold the Celluloid seal'on the pouring spout, the outer surface of the pouring spout may be provided with gripping ribs 24. Because the Celluloid seals are well understood, they are not illustrated.

In the modification's'hown in Figs."6 and 7, the pouring spout is unchanged and the only change in the plunger is the substitution of four outwardly projecting arms 25 for the upper cross shaped section 11 illustrated in Figs l and 3. With this substitution, the flexible cross shaped stem 26 is of uniform section for the entire space between the valve member 13 and the stopper 10. The arms25 are so located that in the outermost position of the plunger, the arms remain within the bore of the pouring spout and preventtilting of the valve in the same manner as the cross shaped section 11. The plunger illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 can be used interchangeably with, the plunger illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 and Will function in the same manner. The plunger of Fig. 6 issomewhat easier to mold and offers less resistance to the flow of the measured liquid charge out the upper end of the pouring spout during dispensing. Except as noted above, the plunger of Figs. 6 and 7 is of the same construotionas the plunger of Figs. 3 and 4 and corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.

Both plungers are assembled in thespout after filling the containers by simply pushing into the spout. This in no way interferes with the automatic filling equipment in common use.

What is claimed as new is:

' 1. A measuring dispensing device for liquid containers comprising a pouring spout sealed to the container and having its outer end projecting outside the container and its inner end presented to the inside of the container, said spout having an internal rib between its ends with a first bore above the rib and a second bore below the rib, a one piece plunger of a molded plastic elastomer having at its upper end a stopper portion fitting within the first bore and closing the outer end of the spout and at its lower end a valve member spaced from the inner end of the second bore in the closed position of the plunger, said stopper portion moving out of the first bore as the plunger is moved to a dispensing position, said valve member having at its periphery a flexible wiping projection of greater outside diameter than the internal diameter of the spout for engaging the second bore and sealing the spout as the plunger is pulled outward to the dispensing position, said valve member having on its upper side an abrupt shoulder for engagement with said internal rib to prevent accidental removal of the plunger from the spout and on its under side a bevel surface for engaging said rib and camming the outer part of the valve member inward clear of said internal rib as the plunger is pushed into the outer end of the spout, said wiping projection on the valve member making sealing engagement with the second bore prior to engagement of the valve member with said internal rib and movement of the stopper portion out of the first bore, and guide means on the plunger spaced from the valve member and engaging the first bore of the pouring spout in the dispensing position of the plunger for blocking tilting of the plunger.

2. The device of claim 1 having in addition a flexible pull tab integral with the plunger and normally upstanding therefrom to provide a handgrip for moving the plunger, said tab being foldable down against the plunger.

3. A measuring dispensing device for liquid containers comprising a pouring spout sealed to the container and having its outer end projecting outside the container and its inner end presented to the inside of the container, said spout having an internal rib between its ends with a first bore above the rib and a second bore below the rib, a one piece plunger of a molded plastic elastomer havingat its 1 upper end a stopper portion fitting within the first bore and closing the outer end of the spout and at its lower end a valve member spaced from the inner end of the second bore in the closed position of the plunger, said stopper portion moving out of the first bore as the plunger is moved to a dispensing position, said valve member reduced in thickness at its periphery to provide a flexible wiping projection of greater outside diameter than the internal diameter of the spout for engaging the second bore and sealing the spout as the plunger is pulled outward to the dispensing position, said valve member having on its upper side radially inward of said wiping projection an abrupt shoulder for engagement with said internal rib to prevent accidental removal of the plunger from the spout and on its under side radially inward of said wiping projection a bevel surface for engaging said rib and camming the outer part of the valve member inward clear of said internal rib as the plunger is pushed into the outer end of the spout, said wiping projection on the valve member making sealing engagement with the second bore prior to engagement of the valve member with said internal rib and movement of the stopper portion out of the first bore.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,233,656 Fetner July 17, 1917 1,885,533 Molitor Nov. 1, 1932 2,563,251 Lanahan Aug. 7, 1951 2,684,790 Porter July 27, 1954 2,722,346 Yokota Nov. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,321 Great Britain Nov. 30, 1898 

